“She’s so soulful … I know she means every word she sings.” vocalist Sheila Jordan

“[listening to Diana sing] I got the same feeling the first time I heard singers like Sheila [Jordan], Lee Wiley (at the 1954 Newport Jazz Festival), Helen Merrill and Irene Kral”   Len Dobbin, 2005 Recipient of an Audio Visual Trust “Masterworks”  Award for radio

“Aesthetically wonderful.” saxophonist Dr. Yusef Lateef, Jazz in July

Diana Panton is being heralded as one of Canada’s most promising jazz vocalists. Her aesthetic sense has attracted the attention of some of the jazz world’s most respected masters. Panton has performed with international jazz luminaries including Peter Appleyard, Guido Basso, Mike Murley, Phil Nimmons, Kenny Wheeler and was a featured soloist with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Akido Endo.

Be it at jazz festivals in Vienne (France), Freiburg (Germany), Montreux (Switzerland), or a concert in her hometown of Hamilton, wherever vocalist Diana Panton performs, she has a mesmerizing effect on her audience. A quiet hush descends over the room as listeners await “little masterpieces created before [their] very ears.” (Hugh Fraser, Hamilton Spectator)

When legendary Canadian multi-instrumentalist Don Thompson first heard Panton sing at age 19, he recommended she audition for the reputed jazz workshop at the Banff Center for the Arts (Canada). There, she studied under Norma Winstone (and in subsequent visits, Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton).

While at Banff, she was invited to perform with Thompson at the famed ”Blue Room”.  “She really knocked me out that night, “ Thompson said.  “She was so young but she had a lot of depth and real feeling.  It surprised me right away.” Following that performance, Thompson told Panton to contact him when she was ready to record an album.  She did—some 10 years later! 

Before recording her first album, Panton first completed an honours masters degree in French literature and fulfilled a teaching engagement at the University of Paris (France), followed by a position as a sessional lecturer at McMaster University (Canada).  She then completed a teaching degree. During this time, she also produced and performed a number of sold-out concerts with emerging jazz prodigy, pianist David Braid.

When the time finally arrived to go into the studio, national award-winning guitarist Reg Schwager was invited to join Don Thompson for some stellar accompaniment behind Panton’s pure vocals.  The result:  Panton was featured on the covers of Toronto’s NOW Magazine (Feb 2006) and Hamilton’s VIEW Magazine (July 2005).  Her debut release “…yesterday perhaps” appeared on the Top 10 discs of 2005 in Toronto’s NOW Magazine, Earshot! and the Montreal Mirror.    In fact, reputed Montreal jazz critic Len Dobbin called the album one of the finest debut CDs he has heard in years.

 The album was also nominated for four Hamilton Music Awards for which it won “Best Jazz Recording” and the publicly voted “Best Live Performance” for the CD release concert.  Recently, Diana has performed sold-out concerts at the prestigious All-Canadian Jazz Festival in Port Hope and the Sound of Toronto Jazz Series tribute to Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz which was broadcasted on JAZZ.FM 91. 

Her much awaited sophomore release was recorded in August of 2006 and will be released September 2007.  Of the new album, Len Dobbin has said, “If you enjoyed Ms. Panton’s superb debut CD, wait till you hear this one! Lots of obscure material, great singing and perfect backing once again from Don Thompson and Reg Schwager!”